FLINTSHIRE

North Wales, countryside, town & Coast

9.5miles 800ft

After a very early start I stopped briefly just off the A55 north wales coast road for a photo looking over the river Dee estuary to the Wirral peninsular....

....and then continued to the hamlet of Halkyn to make the short climb up Halkyn mountain.....

....passing the quarry....

....with views to the Clwydian range of mountains....

....before arriving at the trig point 951ft

Leaving Halkyn I continued to the town of Holywell to visit St Winefride's well, a popular shrine and place of pilgrimage 

The well bubbles up from the ground in this chapel and....

....and flows into the pool where pilgrims bathe in the healing waters

Part of the gounds where pilgims go in procession

Candles are lit to St Winefride & other saints

Leaving the shrine I continued walking down the Greenfield valley....

.....past several disused mill ponds now developed into attractive lakes....

....and again....

....and again

After the lakes the path continues to the ruins of Basingwerk 11th century abbey....

....and again

A short walk from the abbey I joined the North Wales coast path....

.....where the passenger ship TSS Duke of Lancaster has been left to rot! It was operated by British Rail until 1979  between Holyhead and Dunlaoghaire....

Until it became a 'fun ship' for a few years after being moored here.

One of its survival capsules is nearby

I continued up the estuary following the coast path....

....with views across to the Wirral peninsula....

.....until I arrived at Flint castle....

....which is open to the public....

.....and again

Finally finishing my walk crossing the main line railway to Holyhead as I walked into Flint for a bus back to Holywell

A very different day's walking than usual but certainly none the worse for that, with much of interest as well as some of lovely views

 A circuit from Hartsop (Patterdale)

Including Kirkstone pass, St Ravens's edge, John Bell's Banner & Caudale moor, descending via Hartsop Dodd. 

9.5miles 2250ft

Setting off from the hamlet of Hartsop at the southern end of the Patterdale valley

Crossing Caiston beck to the west side of Brotherswater

Looking south up Brotherswater, is this the smallest lake or the largest tarn....?

....and again

Approaching the back of Hartsop hall. It's reknowned for having an usual design of a priest's hiding hole. Also not so far away from here, high on Dove crag is a small cave known as Priest's Hole!

....now at the front of the hall

 

Leaving Brotherswater behind I continued up the valley passing the 'Kirkstone' after which the pass is named.

Arriving at the Kirkstone Inn, the highest in Cumbria and 2nd highest in England at 1489ft. (The highest in England being the Tan Hill Inn 1732ft on the Coast to Coast path in North Yorkshire)

Climbing above the inn to St Raven's edge 1946ft with a view to lake Windermere....

....and  down to Troutbeck valley

I continued across John Bell's Banner looking across the Western Kentmere fells...

....and ahead to Stony Cove pike & Caudale Moor....

....with a hazy view to Morecambe bay....

....and southern end of  lake Windermere before....

....arriving at the summit cairn of Caudale Moor 2503ft today's highest point

I then began the steep descent down Hartsop Dodd...

....looking west to the ridges leading up to Fairfield

I stopped for lunch with a great view down to Brotherswater and the Patterdale valley...

....with the campsite....

....and Brotherswater inn directly below

The final part of my route was along the east side of Brotherswater....

....and again...

....finishing back in the hamlet of Hartsop

A great day out on the fells in not the best of fell walking weather but with only one short rain shower whilst climbing to Kirkstone pass, so no complaints given the forecast!

 Great Gable from Seathwaite via 

Sty Head tarn, Green Gable via Windy Gap & return down Gillercomb & Sour Milk gill

8miles 2800ft

Setting off from Seathwaite farm on a perfect summer's morning

Straight on for Grains Gill but my route takes me to the right to climb to Sty Head....

....after I've crossed Stockley bridge

 

The view back down the valley from the bridge

Starting the climb to Styhead tarn....

Continuing up Sty Head gill....

....and arriving at Sty Head tarn

The four walkers seen here had climbed Ben Nevis last week and were now heading for Scafell pike....where next do you think?

Reaching the comforting knowledge of a stretcher box in the area!!!!!

Now above Kern Knotts looking across to Lingmell with Piers Gill rising left to right. To the left of the gill is a great route up Scafell pike. 

Nearing Great Gable's summit and looking left to right Great End, Broad Crag, Ill Crag, Scafell Pike & Scafell

Zooming in on one of my favourite summits Scafell. It's said that for every person on Scafell there are 50 on Scafell Pike.......I wonder why?

Now on Great Gable's summit (2949ft) and looking west to Pillar & the Wasdale fells

The memorial on the summit to the members of the Fell & Rock climbing club who lost their lives in WW1 

A must visit whilst on Great Gable is the Westmorland Cairn just below the summit to the west. The views are amazing....

Looking down Great Hell's Gate to Lingmell back....

....and west to Wasdale & Wastwater

Zooming in on Wasdale Head & Wastwater

Leaving the summit I descended to Windy Gap with Green Gable ahead.....

....and had lunch on the summit 2628ft looking down Ennerdale ahead & the Buttermere valley to the right...

....and then I descended down Gillercomb.....

....to the head of Sour milk gill....

.....with a view down the gill to Seathwaite....

....where my car was parked.

A fabulous day's walking....they don't come much better than this!!!!

(but I'm always open to suggestions!!)